BSc Psychology and Language Sciences
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UCAS code
C820 -
Typical offer
ABB -
Year of entry
2023/24 See 2024/25 entry -
Course duration
Full Time: 3 Years
-
Year of entry
2023/24 See 2024/25 entry -
Course duration
Full Time: 3 Years
Discover the inner workings of the human mind, how language develops and the disorders that can arise, all through this exciting and challenging BSc Psychology and Language Sciences degree.
This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society and enables you to move on to further training as a professional psychologist. Our staff are actively engaged in world-class research in psychology and language sciences, and you will benefit directly from discoveries made in areas such as linguistics, language development, language pathology, and bilingualism.
The first two years will give you a grounding in psychology and linguistics. This enables you to analyse and understand typical speech and language, together with a range of disorders. During the final year you will be able to choose from a wide variety of optional modules, allowing you to tailor the degree to your specific interests.
Throughout the course you will be able to learn a modern language, such as French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic or Russian. No prior language knowledge is required in order to do this. In addition, you can further your professional experience by undertaking a work placement.
During the course you will gain practical experience, and learn how to devise and run your own experiments. During the final year you will carry out an original piece of research on a topic of your choice. Past examples have included the effects of emotion on cognition, the effects of Huntingdon's Disease on quality of life, and projects examining bilingual and multilingual language comprehension. You may even have the opportunity to present your work at conferences, and a number of past projects have won awards from the British Psychological Society.
Furthermore, the School houses state-of-the-art facilities to support research and learning including eye-tracking and specialist equipment for electrophysiology and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We also have various in-house NHS clinics, including our Anxiety and Depression and Speech and Language Therapy clinics, the Centre for Autism, as well as the world-renowned Charlie Waller Institute for evidence-based psychological treatments on site.
For more information, please visit the School of Psychology website.
Placement
You will have the chance to put your skills and knowledge to use through work placements. These take place in non-NHS settings, such as schools or nurseries. The Psychology Department has a dedicated placements officer who will support you in finding a placement, and can provide guidance for writing a CV.
Additionally, in your second year you can apply for a summer vacation placement, which will be spent working with a member of staff on a piece of research.
Overview
Discover the inner workings of the human mind, how language develops and the disorders that can arise, all through this exciting and challenging BSc Psychology and Language Sciences degree.
This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society and enables you to move on to further training as a professional psychologist. Our staff are actively engaged in world-class research in psychology and language sciences, and you will benefit directly from discoveries made in areas such as linguistics, language development, language pathology, and bilingualism.
The first two years will give you a grounding in psychology and linguistics. This enables you to analyse and understand typical speech and language, together with a range of disorders. During the final year you will be able to choose from a wide variety of optional modules, allowing you to tailor the degree to your specific interests.
Throughout the course you will be able to learn a modern language, such as French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic or Russian. No prior language knowledge is required in order to do this. In addition, you can further your professional experience by undertaking a work placement.
During the course you will gain practical experience, and learn how to devise and run your own experiments. During the final year you will carry out an original piece of research on a topic of your choice. Past examples have included the effects of emotion on cognition, the effects of Huntingdon's Disease on quality of life, and projects examining bilingual and multilingual language comprehension. You may even have the opportunity to present your work at conferences, and a number of past projects have won awards from the British Psychological Society.
Furthermore, the School houses state-of-the-art facilities to support research and learning including eye-tracking and specialist equipment for electrophysiology and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We also have various in-house NHS clinics, including our Anxiety and Depression and Speech and Language Therapy clinics, the Centre for Autism, as well as the world-renowned Charlie Waller Institute for evidence-based psychological treatments on site.
For more information, please visit the School of Psychology website.
Placement
You will have the chance to put your skills and knowledge to use through work placements. These take place in non-NHS settings, such as schools or nurseries. The Psychology Department has a dedicated placements officer who will support you in finding a placement, and can provide guidance for writing a CV.
Additionally, in your second year you can apply for a summer vacation placement, which will be spent working with a member of staff on a piece of research.
Entry requirements A Level ABB
Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.
Typical offer
ABB
International Baccalaureate
32 points overall including minimum 4 in Maths at standard level.
GCSE
English at grade B (5) and Maths and Science at grade C (4).
Extended Project Qualification
In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.
BTEC Extended Diploma
DDM
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5
For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.
Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students
For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.
International Foundation Programme
If you are an international or EU student and do not meet the requirements for direct entry to your chosen degree you can join the University of Reading’s International Foundation Programme. Successful completion of this 1 year programme guarantees you a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. English language requirements start as low as IELTS 4.5 depending on progression degree and start date.
Pre-sessional English language programme
If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.
Structure
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
PL1LB | Language in the Brain | DR Christos Pliatsikas |
PL1LING1 | Introduction to Linguistics | MR Daniel Fryer |
PY1DMH | Debates in Mental Health | DR Dan Jones |
PY1IPR | Introduction to Psychological Research | DR Eugene McSorley |
PY1LAL | Learning about Learning | PROF Philip Beaman |
PY1PAB | The Person and the Brain | DR Juliane Honisch |
These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
PL2LING2 | Linguistics 2 | DR Ian Cunnings |
PY2CBP | Cognitive and Biological Psychology | DR Lydia Yee |
PY2DAL | Development across the lifespan | DR Teresa Tavassoli |
PY2PCP | Professional and Clinical Practice | DR Paul Jenkins |
PY2RMP | Research methods in Psychology | DR Dan Jones |
PY2SID | Social Psychology and Individual Differences | DR Emma Pape |
These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Compulsory modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
PL3ISL | Introduction to Speech and Language Pathology | DR Arpita Bose |
PL3NL | Neuroscience of Language | MR Daniel Fryer |
PY3P | Project | DR Katie Barfoot |
Optional modules include:
Code | Module | Convenor |
---|---|---|
PL3LDG | Language in Genetic Disorders | PROF Vesna Stojanovik |
PL3ML | Multilingualism and Impairment Across the Lifespan | PROF Ludovica Serratrice |
PY3ACT | Adaptive Control of Thought | PROF Philip Beaman |
PY3ASC | Autism Spectrum Conditions | DR Fiona Knott |
PY3AV | Active Vision | DR Eugene McSorley |
PY3BE | Behavioural Economics | DR Rachel McCloy |
PY3CA | Cognitive neuropsychology of ageing | DR Jayne Freeman |
PY3CMC | Computational Models and Methods in Psychology | PROF Ingo Bojak |
PY3CNWM | Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention and Working Memory | DR Eva Feredoes |
PY3DMC | Dietary and Metabolic influences on cognition | DR Daniel Lamport |
PY3DPA | The Developmental Psychopathology of Anxiety | MRS Shannon Wake |
PY3EBL | Eating behaviours across the lifespan | DR Sarah Snuggs |
PY3ELD | Early Lexical Development | DR Beth Law |
PY3FPR | Face Perception and Recognition | DR Katie Gray |
PY3FPT | Forensic Psychology: Theory and Practice | DR Jayne Freeman |
PY3HP | Health Psychology | PROF Kate Harvey |
PY3MLB | Music, Language and the Brain | DR Fang Liu |
PY3MPO | Motivation and Performance in Organisations | DR Amanda Branson |
PY3MS | Memory and the Self: Past, Present and Future | PROF Judith Ellis |
PY3NFD | Neuropsychology of frontostriatal disorders | DR Aileen Ho |
PY3PAC | Psychology and Culture | DR Marat Zagidullin |
PY3RCD | Reward Dysfunction in Clinical Disorders | DR Ciara McCabe |
PY3SC | Social Cognition | DR Lorella Lepore |
PY3SCN | Social Cognition of Nonverbal Behaviour | DR Juliane Honisch |
PY3SCO | Self Control | DR Julia Vogt |
PY3SE | Science of Emotion | PROF Carien Van Reekum |
PY3SNC | Sensory Perception in Neurodevelopmental Conditions | DR Teresa Tavassoli |
PY3TAR | Typical and Atypical Reading | DR Rachel Pye |
PY3TSP | Topics in Social Psychology | DR Emma Pape |
PY3VRB | Virtual Reality and the Brain | DR Peter Scarfe |
ED3TS4 | Development of transferable skills through a school placement 4 | DR Caroline Foulkes |
These are the modules that we currently offer. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Fees
New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250*
New international students: £24,500
*UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes
UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.
EU student fees
With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.
Additional costs
Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
Careers
As a graduate of this course you will be qualified for further training as a professional psychologist, for example clinical or educational psychologist. It is accredited by the British Psychological Society and provides you with the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership. The degree is also ideal if you wish to enter postgraduate study and training to become a speech and language therapist.
You could go on to work for organisations such as the NHS, civil services, schools, or charities. Skills learned on the course also open up many doors within the private sector, within areas such as HR, recruitment, management consultancy, publicity, finance and journalism.